"A child's learning is the function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher." James Coleman, 1972

Friday, May 30, 2014

Doug Martin's Letter to the Anderson Herald Bulletin

(The following is Doug Martin's letter to the editors of the Anderson, Indiana, Herald Bulletin, sent at 7:56 pm, May 30, 2014. If you would like to contact that newspaper, you can at letters@heraldbulletin.com)

DOUG MARTIN'S NOTE TO THE EDITORS: "My letter is endorsed by ONLY myself. It does NOT reflect the views toward your paper of any of the panelists that appeared with me on the Rise Above the Mark event panel, and it does NOT reflect the views toward your paper of any of the makers of the film or the organizers of the event. In fact, the panelists, makers of the movie, and organizers of the event have NOT seen the letter I submit to your paper. And I do NOT endorse candidates for political office, since I have problems with both parties, so the views in my letter are solely my own. Thanks. Doug Martin)

222 Words

I find it highly depressing and even insulting that your newspaper did not cover May 28’s Rise Above the Mark movie event at Anderson High School in support of public education.

After the screening, I was a member of the panel which consisted of Dr. Rocky Killion, the supt. of West Lafayette Community Schools, state representative Terri Austin, Daleville teacher Melanie Wright, and educator and radio host Justin Oakley.

Since the audience included two newspapers from Muncie and one from Indianapolis, the Herald Bulletin’s refusal to cover the event tells me it must not care that Anderson public schools are taking a financial beating because so-called school reform, as I point out in my book HoosierSchool Heist, is a hoax funded by out-of-state billionaires that is meant to wipe out public education entirely and funnel taxpayer money to religious schools and Republican campaign donors and acquaintances who profit from charter schools.

The Herald Bulletin’s editors should also know that I told those in the audience that night that people must boycott every paper in this state that uses the talking points of the billionaires, is too lazy or clueless to do investigative reporting, and refuses to aggressively support public education. Being a no-show, the Herald Bulletin is guilty of treason against the public.Therefore, teachers and parents should find their news elsewhere.

A national expert on the corporate and theocratic assault against public education, Doug Martin is the author of Hoosier School Heist, the book which exposes the corruption, scandals, and campaign financing behind so-called school reform in Indiana and elsewhere. OrderHoosier School Heist and get the facts.

2 comments:

You're 100% correct Doug, citizens/voters should boycott this paper and others that refuses to open their eyes and report the truth about who's making the decisions and the profits from the privatization of Indiana schools. Thanks to all of those who are putting Doug Martins work and book out there.